Sunday Movie Review: "Penny Serenade" (1941)

PENNY SERENADE (1941) |★★★ 1/2

Penny Serenade (1941) stars Irene Dunne and Cary Grant as Julie and Roger, a happy young couple who fall in love and get married. When a tragic circumstance results in Julie becoming sterile, the two look to fulfill their wishes to become parents in the event of an adoption, which gives way to unexpected joy and heartbreak. The story is told through a series of flashbacks provoked by a stack of Victrolas played by a nostalgic Julie as she reflects back on what she and Roger had and lost. Beulah Bondi costars as the the orphanage caretaker.

There were things I liked about this movie, and things that I didn't like as much. Over all, I thought it was an average but enjoyable film, and there's no drastic reason not to give this a viewing. 

It had been quite a while since I had seen one of Irene Dunne's movies - I remember watching more of her when I just began to watch old films, a handful of her best - Theodora Goes Wild (1936), The Awful Truth (1937), My Favorite Wife (1940), I Remember Mama (1948). She is always a pleasure to watch on screen, a warm and sweet actress with a terribly infectious smile. (I would like to think she's grossly underrated as well, I believe she never won an Oscar). The best thing about Irene was that she had a quick wit for comedy but finely tuned emotions for drama, and she gets to use both of them in this film. More of the latter but there are a few chances for her to show off a hint of her comedic flair, as well. She's enjoyable and endearing as Julie, breaking our hearts bit by bit, and you can hardly help but not sympathize with her.

There's no need to wonder what I thought of Cary Grant in this movie, because, of course, I thought he was perfect - but I do think that about anything he was ever in. (Cary Grant could try to sell me Oxy-Clean in an informercial and I would buy it, just because of him.) As he always is, he's witty, charming, and marvelous. He gets more of the witty lines than Irene, like when their adopted child begins to cry and he says flatly to Irene, "Well, make her stop!" 

As a pair, they are adorable, especially with the addition of a small baby, then it's almost too much. I like the idea of how the film is told through a sentimental journey of memories brought on by a "serenade" - the title song is "You Were Meant For Me," and if that sounds familiar, it probably is: it was also used in Singin' in the Rain (1951). There are cute scenes and sweet scenes. But the movie also drags a bit too long and it ends in yet another tragedy that seemed completely unnecessary. In the end, it comes off looking a little too sappy and heartbreaking. 

The pairing of Dunne and Grant was done twice before: The Awful Truth (1937) and My Favorite Wife (1940), both of which, as I mentioned before, I have already seen. Out of the lineup Serenade comes off as the most average but it's still an enjoyable movie with warm performances. I would say that the film's main fault is trying to be too sad (which is often the case with movies like this), and it eventually feels as if it's harnessing itself to our heartstrings and tugging until it tears. Whatever can go wrong for this couple seems to, which works for a while but then ultimately is a bit too corny. Still; it's most certainly not a bad film and you could definitely give it a watch all the while!

The Great Recasting | Barefoot in the Park (1943)

Welcome, guys, to the first day of the blogathon!! Nat and I are really excited and a load of links have already come in and we can't wait to get through them all. :) Once again, as you have your post written you can leave it on this post, or my update post, or any post really - just so long I get them. :D 

***

I went through a lot of indecision, but for my recasting I finally came to the conclusion of Barefoot in the Park (1967). A mere two years from our 1965 cutoff date, I'm sure it wouldn't be considered a "modern" movie by most, but it's still a few years off from the "studio era" (of course, Nat and I were well aware that the studio system was nearly long gone by '65, but the 60s fan in me nudged it over a bit. Hope no one minded).

Barefoot in the Park might not be five star viewing, but it's a movie I love - and have loved for quite a bit - all the while. Its stars are Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, two of my favorite actors from that interchanging period between the decline of the studio system and the dawn of modern movies. I really like the both of them and they're absolutely fabulous in the film as a "stuffed shirt" Paul and free spirit Corrie. (They're also seriously beautiful looking together.) They are supported by a very bohemian Charles Boyer and a delicate Mildred Natwick, the graceful character actress I very much love. It is directed by Gene Saks (Cactus Flower).

The plot is a prime example of 1960s fluff, and its one of the main reasons I love it. In the 1967 trailer it's advertised as "one of the happiest movies," and I couldn't agree more. This is a pick-me-up sort of movie that I can always rely on to cheer me up, one I've seen countless times with my mom, so much so that I know all the lyrics to Shama-Shama. Each time I finish watching it, I feel like I've swallowed a big gulp of fresh air and it's always guaranteed to leave me with a smile on my face. And then I feel like running barefoot through the park, too.


Jane Fonda plays Corrie Bratter, a pretty girl with a thirst for adventure and excitement. She's the type of character that'll never turn down the opportunity to do something wild, like dancing to exotic music, tasting strange foods, and appropriately, running barefoot through the park. She's madly in love with a man quite her opposite: Paul Bratter, played by Robert Redford. He's a quiet and neat attorney who likes to follow the rules, stay within the lines, and stick to the familiar. As it so often happens in romantic comedies, opposites attract, and the movie starts off with the newlyweds at the Plaza Hotel for a week long honeymoon that leaves Paul's lips "numb from kissing."

As he heads off to work on the last day of their honeymoon, Corrie rushes off to get settled in their new apartment. A small flat overlooking New York City, there are six flights (plus a steep stoop which Paul calls "that big thing out front") to reach the Bratter apartment at the top. Their apartment complex is also shared by some of "the greatest weirdos in the country," including a couple of whose sex no one is quite sure of. The bedroom can barely fit a bed and to Paul's chagrin, there's no bath, but worst of all, there's a hole in the skylight! They can't figure out how to work the radiator, and it's February, so they spend their first night in the apartment freezing as snow collects in their living room through the skylight.

But Corrie, being the free spirit she is, can't help but love the new apartment, as well as makes friends with the avant-garde bohemian that lives in the attic, Victor Velasco, played by Charles Boyer. He eats strange Japanese foods and scales the building to get into his apartment. Corrie decides to play matchmaker with Victor and her dainty mother, Ethel, (played by Mildred Natwick) who lives out in Connecticut and sleeps on a board each night - more like Paul than Corrie. Naturally, disasters occur which are exemplified by the Bratters' strange living conditions, and puts a humongous stain on the Bratter marriage. And, of course, all these events unfold in utter hilarity.

It's a super fun film. It is based off a Neil Simon play of the same name which premiered in 1963. The dialogue is truly funny, there's a dash of physical comedy involved, and the characters hit their marks. I'm sure there are those that definitely wouldn't agree with me, but in my humble opinion this is a good example of a fluffy movie that can be pretty darn excellent for its genre. To sum the movie up: it's a comical spoof on being newlyweds.

Okay, so now that I'm babbled enough about the movie - and I'm crossing my fingers you grasped the plot, but if you need some help still, check this out - let's get onto the recasting!

I have chosen the year 1943 to recast the film. Twenty-four years before the original release date, my version of the movie would have been released into World War II America, where fluffy, cheerful films were just the kind of getaway moviegoers needed at the cinema. The story is definitely a comedy, requiring a bit of physical comedy  (that mainly has to do with the six flights to reach the Bratter apartment) that, if produced in 1943, could have even resulted in a screwball comedy. That's a entraining thought. The 1967 movie came from the stage as well as by then the screwball comedy was near extinct. But in 1943, this could have easily transferred in a ridiculous romp: with Corrie's vivacious, daffy personality and Paul playing her straight man.

As for the character of Paul Bratter, I have gone with Cary Grant. Cary, my favorite actor was a flawless human being who I would be happily married to  could play anything, and he was particularly fantastic at comedy. Paul is a conservative guy who Corrie accuses of being a "stuffed shirt". Cary was a fantastic straight man to Katharine Hepburn's zany Susan in The Perfect Screwball Comedy (Bringing up Baby), so I think the casting of him as Paul would be spot on.

Then there is Corrie Bratter, a young woman with a magnificent lust for life and thirst for adventure. For this role, I have chosen my second favorite actress, my favorite Swede, that wonderful doll, Ingrid Bergman. Perhaps casting early 1940s Ingrid in this role is against type. After all, there are probably quite a few other actresses at the time who would, by studio moguls, have been considered more appropriate for the role. Though it is true that Ingrid in the 40s did pretty much all dramas (though she did get to show off her comedic flair a little in The Bells of St. Mary's), there's no question that she could do comedy. She got opportunities to do so later in her career: Indiscreet (1958) - also with Cary - The Yellow Rolls Royce (1964), Cactus Flower (1969) - which was a role that had been originally offered to my Lucy - but never in her studio system days. Which is a shame because Ingrid was fantastic at comedy. She had good timing combined with a almost nonchalant subtly to her comedy, and she was fantastic. I adore Ingrid being funny. (She also nearly worked with the Queen of Comedy, Lucy, on an episode of Here's Lucy, but due to some technical difficulties it fell through. ugh. I could DIE.)

I also picked Ingrid because as it is well obvious to anyone who has seen Notorious (1946) - and if you haven't, please go and do so - that Ingrid and Cary have really some of the best chemistry on screen, especially amazing considering they were never romantically involved in real life, wonderful friends, but never lovers. (Though, in my fantasy world, they might've been married...) They re-teamed for Indiscreet twelve years later, a movie that's far from perfect, but I love anyways pretty much because of the two of them. That's a comedy, but I did want to cast them in something when they were younger, hence the year 1943 - Cary would've been thirty-nine, maybe a little long in the tooth for a newlywed but it wouldn't have mattered, and Ingrid would've been twenty-eight - and more youthful. Corrie and Paul are a couple that's really quite in love for a great deal of the picture and Cary and Ingrid would've captured that perfectly. It's the romance of Notorious (which was spoiled when they become bitter to each because of the project, etc.) in the setting of a movie like Indiscreet.


Also, at the end of the day, it only seemed fair that Ingrid & Cary should be the main players of my be recasting, for they were what inspired this blogathon (that time I did a tumblr text post wondering what a 40s version of The Sound of Music would be like with Maria and the Captain played by these two flawless beings).

[all GIFs in this post are mine - the dialogue is from Barefoot in the Park.]

For the role of Victor Velasco, I chose John Barrymore. It was nearly obvious that I was going to have to go with one of the Barrymores for the amorous Victor. Of course, Ethel was out and I couldn't picture Lionel-Mr.Potter.-Barrymore in this type of a role at all. There was always the opportunity to resort to other male character actors of the early 40s - I mean, they were definitely plenty - but none of them deemed the perfect type for the role. John Barrymore, however, I feel would click right into it. Whenever I see John Barrymore, he's playing slightly 'lost' characters, so I could definitely see him tackling on this role. 

And as for an older lady actress appropriate for Victor's affections, I struggled with this quite a bit. All the character actresses I could think of would've sent this movie into a time warp: Thelma Ritter (who didn't seem appropriate besides; for even though I love her I think of her as secretaries and housekeepers), Mildred Natwick (well obviously not!), Mildred Dunnock, etc. All of them were all 50s. I was torn trying to find an actress of the right age. I even considered changing the character to an old maid sister. Finally, I landed up choosing Beulah Bondi. I wish I could have chosen a actress with more star power, but I suppose Bondi would round out the film making it financially possible. (I got to add here, if this film were going to be redone today - I mean, God forbid but still - wouldn't Julie Andrews be a good choice for this role? Maybe Jools is about five or ten years too old in reality, but she doesn't look it.) 

Then there is the director. The director of the '67 film was Gene Saks - Bye Bye Birdie, Cactus Flower, The Odd Couple, Mame. Obviously, there are many directors of the early 40s that would've been compatible with the cast and would've been fit to direct a screwball comedy (for, like I said, I can definitely see it going in that direction). So many choices! Preston Sturges, George Cukor, perhaps an early Billy Wilder - all directors I like very much, but in the end I chose Howard Hawks. Why Hawks? Well, after all, he did direct Bringing up Baby, which, as I said earlier, is my idea of the perfect screwball comedy. Obviously, Cary and Hawks collaborated together but Ingrid and him never did. And so the opportunity for these to greats to have worked together would be too awesome for me to pass up. 

Like I said earlier, this blogathon came as a result of my fantastic imagination dreaming up a 40s version of The Sound of Music with Ingrid and Cary. While that movie most likely would've turned out a hot mess, I have good reason to believe that a film like this could've, in reality, worked. Of course, the point of this blogathon was to play with your imagination and entertain your wildest fantasies - but still, I can't help but have this glimmer of hope that in all honesty, perhaps Barefoot in the Park could've worked in 1943. I mean, after all - The Hayes Code Office would've likely given a stamp of approval to pretty much all aspects of this film (of course, the shots of Corrie in a bra and the newlyweds lying in the same bed together would have to be cut, but otherwise).

And if it were to have actually been made, I could see this being a quality film. Not even the sort you like just because your favorite leads are in it, but a genuinely good movie. This is my own humble opinion of course, and it has to do a lot with the fact that I love the movie. Because, to me, as the script is actually funny, the storyline entertaining, and the score excellent, I can only see turning the decades a few back, adding Ingrid and Cary in the leads, and putting Hawks in the director's chair as enhancing a film which was pretty good to begin with!

Alas, we'll never know, for the play wasn't even written until the 60s. Cest la'vie, I suppose.

***

Okay, that's all for my side of the blogathon! :) The running list of links as they come in (as hosted by me) can be found here. The second part of the blogathon will take place tomorrow over at Nat's blog. THIS IS SO MUCH FUN, GUYS! Thanks for joining in with us!

"And the Oscar goes to..."

Before I start today's posts, two notes: I got some positive feedback on making the Sunday Movie Review a bi-weekly segment, so we're going to give it a try! Therefore, since I posted a review for Keeper of the Flame (1943) last week, the next review will be next Sunday, and so forth, etc. And the second is thank you all so so so much for your birthday wishes on Thursday. You all the are the sweetest! <3

As you all probably know, tonight is the night of the 82nd Academy Awards. 2011 was a great year for classic film fans, I felt. You had a movie about Marilyn Monroe, a silent film, a movie structured around the splendor of silent film, and several other movies that took place in the 20th century. Not to mention that both Meryl Streep and Christopher Plummer are nominated for Oscars; and if The Artist (2011) wins Best Picture, it'll be the first silent movie to win Best Picture since 1929 - and the first black and white since The Apartment (1960).

But on this Oscar Sunday, I'm not going to sit around predicting who's going to win what awards and etc. - though I really hope The Artist (2011) sweeps it all; and The Help (2011) I enjoyed as well - since we all know by now who's going to win what anyway. Plus, of course, this is a classic film blog, and despite the tight ties between the films at this year's Oscars and the Golden Age, they still qualify as 2011 movies.

So I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of my favorite Oscar moments with Golden Age stars! This is just a fun, rambling list of Oscar memories, mostly with my favorite actors, no particular order or anything. I hope you enjoy, and if you want to discuss this year's Oscars, or 1939's Oscars (which, hey, guess what? - took place on my birthday!), or the Oscars of any other year, feel free to leave a comment and give your input!

Lucy's last public appearance

61st ACADEMY AWARDS | 1989, presenting 

My darling girl had her last public appearance at the 1989 Oscars, about six weeks before she passed away. She and Bob Hope were presenting and they got a big standing ovation. It's bittersweet watching this; and ironic that her last public appearance would be at the Oscars, despite the fact that Lucy was never nominated for one, and is famous as a television star, despite the fact she made more than 100 films. Her sparkling, black sequined dress is definitely a product of the 1980's, but I appreciate the slit that shows off her legs, which were still lovely at 77. She's so perfect. :')

Greer's Best Actress acceptance speech

16th ACADEMY AWARDS | 1943, Mrs. Miniver 

If anyone knows anything about my lovely Greer, they ought to know that she loved to talk. I think if talking was a sport, Greer could win all the Olympic medals. She had a habit of being able to go on and on about nearly any topic (except for herself; she didn't enjoy talking about personal matters, but to the chagrin of Hedda and Lolly) in that gorgeous voice of hers. When she won the Best Actress Oscar in 1943 for Mrs. Miniver (1942), it was about 1 AM in Hollywood when she took the stand. It is said that her speech might have been anywhere from five minutes to twenty; though the latter is likely an exaggeration, being so late into the night it might have felt that way to the other attendees. It is said she thanked everyone from the doctor who brought her into this world in London to all the cast members of Miniver and beyond. This speech is the longest in Oscar history as of; and the year following the Academy Award instilled a new rule that limited the winner to only forty seconds to thank those who needed to be thanked. Greer, alongside Bette Davis, holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations in a row (from 1941 - 1946), but she only won once, despite her amazing performances. I'm a little nervous that it might be because of this 1943 speech? There's no full footage or transcript of it, unfortunately, but Miniver DVDs tend to have a little tidbit of her speech in a newsreel or such.

Ingrid's Best Supporting Actress speech

47th ACADEMY AWARDS | 1975, Murder on the Orient Express

Ingrid won the Oscar three times. The first was in 1945, for Gaslight (1944), and then in 1957 for Anastasia (1956). The latter Oscar was accepted by her good friend and secret husband Cary Grant; that was when Ingrid was in Italy and married to Rossellini, recovering from the waves of scandal her affair with him had caused a few years before. Anastasia was her comeback film and her winning the Oscar for that movie was America's way of forgiving her. But her last Oscar was a Best Supporting Actress for Murder on the Orient Express (1974), and it's this one I chose to share, simply for the reason it starts with, "It's always nice to win an Oscar..." I couldn't post the link, but you can watch it here, and I strongly suggest that you do, because it's adorable.

Grace vs. Judy

28th ACADEMY AWARDS | 1955, The Country Girl & A Star is Born

Ahh, the age old debate of whether or not Judy Garland should have won the Oscar in 1955! Every classic film fan has heard about this controversy; when Grace won Best Actress in 1955 for her fine performance in The Country Girl (1954), but it wasn't the right year to win for everyone had expected Judy to win for her comeback movie, A Star is Born (1954). Even Grace Kelly's father released a statement after the awards ceremony, revealing that even he had expected Judy to win. I can't fairly judge this situation because I haven't seen A Star is Born (1954) - I plan to remedy that soon. And though I love Judy Garland, as we all should, Grace is one of my very favorite actresses which I guess would make me look biased. So I'll just keep my lips shut. But I'll say that I'm quite grateful Grace won in 1955; everyone thinks of her as only a gorgeous fashion plate, when she is so so much more.

Audrey's Best Actress speech

27th ACADEMY AWARDS | 1954, Roman Holiday

Audrey's win for Roman Holiday (1953) in 1954 is another subject of controversy, but Roman Holiday (1953) is one of my favorite movies; it's the movie that made Audrey a star and I just love it to pieces. I'll never have a problem with her having won that year, or any year, for that matter. Plus I think it's totally adorable how when she gets on stage, she goes in the wrong direction (I totally would have done that too) and her dress is gorgeous!

The double Best Actress of 1969

42nd ACADEMY AWARDS | 1969, Funny Girl and Lion In the Winter

The only time there was a tie for an Oscar was in 1969, for Best Actress. Both Katharine Hepburn, for Lion In the Winter (1968) and Barbra Striesand, for Funny Girl (1968) won the Oscar. Katie never showed up to accept her Oscars, but Barbra was there to collect her award in a very interesting outfit; handed over to her by none other than Ingrid - who was back in popularity thanks to Cactus Flower (1969). I LOVE the surprise on Ingrid's face when she realizes that it's a tie! Plus, as we all know, I consider Katharine Hepburn to be flawless and I really like Barbra Striesand too, she's adorable. Funny Girl (1968) isn't really my favorite film of hers, but I did like her performance in it; I mean, it made her a star, didn't it? And I know, it's terrible, but I've yet to see Lion in the Winter (1968); don't worry, I will really soon. You can watch it here.

No Natalie Wood unfortunately, because she never won an Oscar, despite being nominated four times. How stupid is that? I like to think that had she not drowned in 1981 she would've either made a comeback and been one of those winners who gets an Oscars in her late 40's or 50's; or later on she would have been awarded an Honorary Oscar.

Humphrey's Best Actor speech

25th ACADEMY AWARDS | 1952, The African Queen

Why it took as long as 1952 for Humphrey Bogart to win an Oscar, I'll never understand, but thankfully he finally did and The African Queen (1951) was a good movie for him to win it for. I love Greer's little intro and reference to her long, 1943 speech - "I have ten minutes left over from a highly emotional speech I gave a few years ago; I'll be happy to let you use it!" as well as reminding everyone of those "anticipatory noise reduction devices". And then the look of glee on her face when she realizes Bogie won; and Bogie's short and simple acceptance. I mean, I know he wasn't into that whole Hollywood scene, but from what I read in Betty Bacall's autobiography, everyone was thrilled to have him win. You get that impression from the cheer that comes up from the audience, too. You can watch it here.

Cary's Honorary Oscar speech

43rd ACADEMY AWARDS | 1970, Honorary Oscar

All I'm going to say is that this was a long time coming. A long, long, time coming. #WHYYY?

I think this might have been with Ingrid's Oscar, because he was much older when he won his Honorary one.

Sidney Poitier's Best Actor speech

37th ACADEMY AWARDS | 1964, Lilies of the Field

I don't think I've mentioned it before, but I love Sidney Poitier! He's one of my favorites. He's so sophisticated and distinguished, and really helped smash those racial barriers; I mean, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), anyone? The film that he won the Best Actor Oscar for, in 1964, was Lilies of the Field (1963), which I have yet to see. But I love this footage of him accepting the Oscar from Anne Bancroft, another person I adore and don't talk enough about. I mean, it was 1964 and racial tension was high, but Anne just throws her arms around Sidney and you can tell how excited she is for him. Therefore, this all results in one of my favorite Oscar moments. You can watch it here.

To prevent this list from becoming forever endless, I'll stop here. But there are sooo many Golden Age Oscar moments I love. So I'll also add the links to these: Vivien Leigh's 1940 Best Actress speech / Hattie McDaniel's 1940 Best Supporting Actress speech / Myrna Loy's 1991 Honorary Oscar speech / Greer Garson's 1962 acceptance for Sophia Loren's Best Actress and I hope you check them out because they're just as wonderful <3

***

Alright, that's it for this Sunday. I had a lot of fun writing this post! Do you have any favorite classic Oscar moments? Let me know in the comments!

Despite being hardcore classic film, I'll certainly be watching the Oscars tonight, how about you all? If so, Happy Oscar watching and if not, well, I hope you have a good evening anyway, my dears!

On My Birthday

Yes, dear readers, today happens to be yours truly's birthday. For the sake of the fact that there are creepy old stalkers out there, I'm not going to outright tell you what I turned today, but I assure you I'm still in my teens. :)

Since today is my birthday, I thought I'd share a personal story. It's the story about how I fell in love with classic movies. Every classic movie lover has a story about how they first became a Classic Hollywood fan. Most people don't wake up one morning and decide to be one. When someone's a fan of something current or modern it's usually something popular that they might have tried out for themselves and enjoyed. But most people don't say, "I want to try out classic films!" You stumble upon - it happens - you're hooked.

I've told you bits and pieces of this story before, but here is a full reflection. I mean, I've been meaning to do this for a while, and I guess a birthday's a pretty swell day to share something personal, right?

{You'll be surprised by how many details I remember.}

how i fell in love with classic films

As a little kid, my parents used to take me to the Blockbuster up the street. I’d wander excitedly down the aisles, carefully choosing out the DVD that I wanted. When I was little, I wanted to watch “The Powerpuff Girls” (much to my mother’s chagrin – she was never really a fan of Blossom, Buttercup, and Bubbles). As I got older, I rented out each season of “The Lizzie McGuire Show” (I know, it’s corny – but out of all those Disney Channel shows, I still say Lizzie is the best).

When I was about eight, my father excitedly found a copy of “The Sound of Music” for me. Every time he searched for the DVD, he found it had already been rented out – and made jokes that Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer were always renting it out to force upon their grandchildren. (To this, I gave him puzzled looks… Julie who? I was shocked later to find out it was the Grandmother from “The Princess Diaries.”)

Anyhow, that day he found it. I was thinking, “It looks boring,” but my eight year old self considered myself quite open minded so I okayed my dad renting it out, and went to find some Disney movie. We stopped by Giant, I picked up some sort of a granola bar, and returned home – yes, I always remember the granola bars. It’s what I went upstairs to get in the intermission.

We returned home, and my parents took me downstairs to the movie theater (yes, the movie theater – when you have movie buffs like my dad and me in the house, you kind of need one) and we settled in to watch. From the first scene, I was taken by how beautiful the mountains were. But I was still not sure if the film would be interesting.

And then, it captured my attention.

“It’s not boring.” It wasn’t. I laughed, I smiled, I tried to determine which Von Trap Child was my favorite. I thought Captain Von Trapp was mean – but we all know what a big marshmallow he turns out to be. I knew barely anything about the 1940’s or World War 2, but I loved it.

When the intermission came, I went upstairs to grab that granola bar and remarked to my father how much I loved it and how nice it was. We went back downstairs and finished the film, and I quickly decided it was my favorite movie.

Though after the film I had a really severe case of “Sound of Music-itis” (that’s the name I gave to the period of obsession one finds with the film after first experiencing how awesome it is – my friend watched it in the 5^th grade from my encouragement, and the same thing happened to her)…. I watched it all the time, over and over again, had it rented out for months (I think I was singing the song in my sleep), I didn’t become immediately hooked on classic movies. 

It took another year for the full breakthrough, even though I loved an “old movie” with all of my heart… and I never forgot the first day I watched the movie.

That came in the summer when I was nine. I was on a real “Disney Channel” high that summer, as a lot of nine years old could be. I think I idolized it. And then, towards the very end of the summer and as I entered fourth grade, it all changed.

One night I was bored and my father invited me to watch a movie, if I’d like to. So I went downstairs and we watched “Love Crazy” with William Powell and Myrna Loy. On occasion, my father had showed me black and white movies – and even a silent film – as a young child, so it didn’t bother me.

I laughed my head off. It wasn’t the best film, thinking back and watching it over, but it was screwball and I enjoyed it. I decided it was a new favorite film of mine. And when I went upstairs, my mother was watching “The Philadelphia Story” on TV. I obviously didn’t realize any of the actors, but I was getting a good dose of black and white movies in lots of parallels.

Then we rented out “Singin’ in the Rain” from my new Netflix queue – the queue was all my own, but my father added this in for me. It was September by then, and though I told myself I still liked my silly Disney Channel shows, I didn’t find myself watching it as often. “Singin’ in the Rain” was an instant hit – and a new favorite movie. I watched it over and over.

I asked my dad to add more old movies into my queue, because I liked them. Next came “Bringing Up Baby” and I was done for. Now my nine year old self talked nonstop of classic movies and I declared Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, the stars of yet another new favorite movie, my favorite actors. After that, I looked forward excitedly to each Friday night – not only because it marked the end of a grueling school week (lol) but because at eight, we’d start a new classic film. There was “Some Like It Hot,” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” – “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World” and “Sullivan’s Travels”… and, of course, “The Philadelphia Story” that Thanksgiving, which I excitedly looked forward to – now that Katharine Hepburn was my favorite actress, of course.

I let my love of these films be very open. At family dinners, I’d babble about how Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant were my favorites… and how each new classic movie I watched because my “favorite”.

In October of that year – I think it was Christopher Columbus Day – I had no school and stayed in bed all day reading Nancy Drews. Then I flipped through the TV channels and stumbled upon “I Love Lucy” – the show my mother enjoyed and the show I’d heard of so often, but had never stopped to watch. And it was an old show, and supposed to be great, so I watched.

The episode was “Return Home From Europe” – the one where Lucy pretends a cheese is a baby. I split my sides laughing and from then on, the rest, as they say, is history. Lucy quickly became my favorite actress, and  all I want to think or talk about was old movies and I Love Lucy. I ate, breathed, and slept classic film from then on.

***

Well, that's how it happened. I'm grateful. Very. What would I do without the classics? ;)

Ok, I'm going to blow out some birthday candles -

And that's all for now!

xoxo

Valentine's Day Movie Meme

So many surveys around the blogosphere lately! As you probably know, I put one of my own out last week, and one of my favorite bloggers, Meredith of Forever Classics, is doing one too in honor of Valentine's Day! I'm a romantic at heart so this will be a lot of fun to answer.

Valentine's Day Movie Meme ♥

1. What is your favorite romantic comedy?

It's hard for me to pick just one! A lot of classic films to me are romantic comedies. And of course, there are a lot of new romantic comedies, and though I have seen my share of them they're more entertaining then something I would feel sentimental about. So I don't think I can pick just one :/ But some towards the top of the list would have to be The Philadelphia Story (1940), It Happened One Night (1934), all the Audrey Hepburns - Roman Holiday (1953), Sabrina (1954), and Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), all the Doris Day/ Rock Hudson, like Pillow Talk (1959)... do His Girl Friday (1940) and Bringing up Baby (1938) count??? Several of the Fred and Gingers, too. Oh, and if you're interested in a more modern romantic comedy I like, I did enjoy While You Were Sleeping (1995) - Sandra Bullock is a modern actress I must admit I do like, at least a little. ;) There's my very very complicated answer for you.

2. What is your favorite romantic drama?

These questions are so mean!! -;) If I'm to pick one, I'll likely go with An Affair to Remember (1957). This one makes me tear up everytime. Cary and Deborah are just so perfect. <3 But there are plenty of others I like too. Now, Voyager (1942),  Casablanca (1942), Random Harvest (1941), Woman of the Year (1942), This Property is Condemned (1966), West Side Story (1961) - just to mention a few. Old movies are so romantic! But I would probably have to choose Affair as my favorite.

3. Worst romance film you've seen?

I don't know if this really counts, but I've got to go with Lucy and Desi: Before the Laughter (1992), a TERRIBLE, tacky, awful, TV movie about Lucy and Desi's marriage, covering their meeting and marriage in 1940 up to the start of I Love Lucy in 1951. {Thank goodness it ended there and did not cover Lucy and the divorce, I'm picturing what this would have been like and am dying a little inside} Frances Fisher plays Lucy very unconvincingly. If she holds her head really still and stares profoundly into space, she does resemble Lucy a tiny bit, but I'm just going to be blunt and say she wasn't beautiful enough to play Lucy. Plus she had all these wrinkles and craw's feet on her face, she just looked way too old. Then some nonsense soap opera actor named Maurice Bernard or something like that played Desi, and he was even WORSE. He had the most terrible Cuban "accent" I've heard in my life, and an annoying habit of saying "Joo" instead of "you" {My friend and I have a joke about this, "Joo want to marry me?"}. This movie takes Lucy and Desi's love story and tears it apart and turns it into a parody. This is by far the worst movie on Lucy I've ever seen. It's on the Tube that was you, but I would say to avoid it like the plague. Lucie called it tabloid fodder and countered it with the amazing documentary about her parents that included their home movies. Thank God for Lucie Arnaz.

One critic said something like, "If joo gonna do something this tacky, at least make it funny!"

4. How do you feel about the majority of romantic films being labeled "chick flicks"?

My understanding about this question is, what's my opinion on romance films being labeled as a fluffy genre for females to weep over? I could be wrong, that's the way I interpreted it, however, and that's the way I'm going to answer it, lol. Anyways, to that note, I'm not sure how I feel about it exactly. I guess females do lean to romantic films more than men do, but to that, there's no reason why guys shouldn't be able to enjoy or get teary over romantic films the way girls do. It shouldn't make them any less 'manly'. Also, a majority of romantic films {especially, you know, the classic ones ;D} are excellent movies that shouldn't be labeled as fluffy, and "chick flick" usually suggests "fluffy" or "mindless". So maybe "chick flick" isn't a nice term after all.

5. Favorite on-screen couple?

Another mean question! Lol. I can't just pick one pair. {I'm sorry that I have no ability to be decisive!} I'm really not sure. Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, certainly, though you know that I feel that "Gone With the Wind" isn't a great love story. Ronald Colman and Greer Garson's characters were adorable together in Random Harvest (1941), and so were the Bette Davis and Paul Henried couple in Now, Voyager (1941). I also have to give a nod to Nick and Nora and the Minivers - both of which had perfect marriages! Also, David and Susan in Bringing up Baby (1938), just because that movie is perfection. And Alicia and Delvin in Notorious (1946), because Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant are perfect together and they should have gotten married and had a bunch of gorgeous children together - you know, like, Isabella Grant. {CRUEL QUESTIONS.}

One day I'm just going to have to do one whole post on the two of them and, you know, let all the feelings out ;-)

6. Favorite off-screen couple?

Like you guys are really there scratching your heads, wondering what my answer could possibly be to this, and like I'm sitting here on my side of the computer screen contemplating hard between oh, Bogie and Betty and Carole and Clark and Kate and Spence and - LUCY AND DESI. There's probably no need to get into this because everybody knows how I feel about the two of then, but I'll get into it anyway! Yes, Lucy is my favorite actress, but it's not like I assume by default that Desilu is my favorite. If there is one question on this list I'm decisive about, it's them. I know as well, and likely much much more, as the next person that their marriage was riddled with problems. And that it ended in divorce. But their love for each other inside, despite everything else, was so strong, and that's how they managed to stay together for 20 years. And that love never died, despite the divorce. I mean, Lucy called Desi two days before his death and told him she loved him. It would have been their forty-sixth wedding anniversary. If that doesn't kill your heart, what does??? Plus - lest we forget - this is the union that forged I Love Lucy!

7. Best kiss in a movie?

This may sound prudish, but the kisses in classic films are so much more romantic. I don't care that they were limited to 3 seconds, they were always more meaningful than the kisses in today's movies, despite the fact that today they can go on forever - and usually do! I'll probably go with the famous scene from Notorious (1946). Ingrid and Cary's little kisses while they chatted about the chicken in her icebox was Hitchcock's way around the Hays Code rule, which might just contradict what I said, but Cary and Ingrid are perfect so I don't really care :)

8. Favorite romantic scene?

asdfghjkl This is hard ;) I guess my response to the latter question could qualify as a romantic scene, since it's really a string of kisses and dialogue that lasted for a few minutes. Maybe the the phone scene from It's a Wonderful Life (1946)? Though several scenes from An Affair to Remember (1957) are tugging at me...

9. Who are two film characters you wished had gotten together, but never did?

I thought that Greer Garson's character and Robert Taylor's character in When Ladies Meet (1940) would have been a good pair but they never did get together. But I guess in reference to something better known, I'll opt for Scarlett and Rhett in Gone With the Wind (1939). Yes, I know they SPOILER did get married in the movie, but if you check out the link above to the post about GWTW not being a love story, you'll understand my reasoning behind that. Besides, Rhett did leave Scarlett in the end of the movie. Bonnie Butler was dead. Melanie Hamilton was dead. All Scarlett had left was Tara and wimpy Ashley. So in my opinion, Rhett and Scarlett never truly "got together" in ultimate joy and happiness. And besides, Real Gone With the Wind never came out, so we'll never know if Rhett ever did give a damn about Scarlett again!

10. Two actors you think would have great chemistry, but never done a film together?

Easy. Cary Grant and Greer Garson. These two would have been a match made in heaven, don't you think??? But all they did together was an OTR broadcast of Bedtime Story. This breaks my heart. WHY? Why did it never happen? Them both being British - and Greer being the top box office draw during WII - I mean, seriously? I weep. Buckets and buckets of tears.

11. Favorite romantic song in a film?

I don't know if it's my all time favorite, but it definitely one I like and it's the first song that popped into my head when I heard this question. 

I guess the lyrics aren't obviously romantic - I mean, they could mean a lot of things -but considering what's happening while they sing it, I think it qualifies!

12. Best score from a romance film?

The theme from Now, Voyager (1942). I think it's called, "It Can't Be Wrong". It was used in Mildred Pierce (1945) too, which makes me giggle - a score from Bette's movie used again in a Joan Crawford film! But this music is so beautiful it should be used in every movie, lol. So gorgeous!

13. Most romantic film quote?

"Oh, it's nobody's fault but my own! I was looking up... it was the nearest thing to heaven! You were there..." said by Deborah Kerr's Terry McKay in An Affair to Remember (1957). There are a lot of romantic quotes, though. This is the first one I thought of. I just love this movie though! ♥

14. A film you'd recommend to watch on Valentine's Day?

Well, you'd probably watch a romantic film on Valentine's Day. I can't pick just one perfect romantic movie! There are SO many! But if I am to suggest just one, I'll follow up on the latter question and go with An Affair to Remember (1957). 

I know I already answered one of the questions with this movie, but I just love it so much! Deborah and Cary are just asdfghjkl. I need to talk about Deborah more. I LOVE HER {this reminds me, you see}

***

Well yeah, that's it! Thank you, Meredith, I had a lot of fun with this meme. It's not Valentine's Day yet, but I'll say it anyway: Happy Valentine's Day, readers! 

My 10 Favorite Kate Hepburn Movies

Before I begin this post: guys, I forgot something REALLY IMPORTANT in my last post. I've been accepted into the Classic Movie Blog Association! Initiation is based on voting by other members, so thank you to any CMBA members that might have voted for me. :) I was really excited to get in - I've been awaiting membership since I got this blog last July! So I was really rather happy and I didn't mean to excuse it so rudely, it just totally slipped me somehow. Thanks again, guys!

It's not really Katharine Hepburn's birthday or anything, but I was just thinking about how so many of her films are my favorites. Not to mention I've seen a lot of her filmography, so I thought it would be fun to make a list like this! Of course, I haven't seen everything of Katharine Hepburn's, and there are still a few really prominent films of hers that I need to see: like On Golden Pond (1982), The Lion in the Winter (1968) and Morning Glory (1937). So this is just a list from my opinion on what I've already seen - a lot of her films albeit not ALL.

(THIS IS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

10. Little Women (1933)

The book "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott is one of my favorite books and I've seen all the onscreen adaptions. Though I like the other two versions well enough, this is easily my favorite, mostly because of Kate. She makes the perfect Jo. When I read the book as a little girl, I was set on being a tomboy, and therefore Jo became my favorite character. Besides, she liked to write, like me. :) Today I'm far from a tomboy - as you might be able to tell from all the pink and polka dots on this blog - but I think Jo might still be my favorite character. Kate gave her justice better than any actress who ever played her, because to be honest, I think Katharine Hepburn and Jo March are very much alike: strong willed, feminist, tomboyish, etc. This also contains nice supporting cast members like Joan Bennett and is directed by George Cukor, Kate's favorite director.

9. Summertime (1955)

I'm not going to get into this one that much for two reasons. #1: Not many other people like this film so oftentimes I feel kind of stupid when I rave on about it, though I just fell in love with it last week. And #2: I just did this week's Sunday Movie Review about it, you can read all the things I like about this film here. A lot of it has to do with a really delicate performance by Kate that is unlike anything she did before, her romance with Rossano Brazzi, and the beautiful setting of Venice, Italy. Anyway, this movie is kind of the dark horse of this list since no one likes it. I guess everyone's entitled to an opinion, though, and I liked it a lot.

8. Alice Adams (1935)

It's been a few years since I saw this one, so I can't get into intense detail about why I liked it, but I do remember enjoying it! :) In the review I'd written at the time I basically said that this film was really charming, refreshing, and I liked the realistic way it dealt with domestic issues. And though Alice Adams wasn't always a completely likable character, I really loved the way Kate played her. Also, how can you turn down a film which has a cast that includes the likes of Fred MacMurray, Hattie McDaniel, and Hedda Hopper - in addition to Kate. 

7. Stage Door (1937)

I just love this film for so many reasons. I love the characters and I love the plot, and most of all I love the cast. It's very rare to find your favorite actresses in a movie together, because usually a leading actor plays with a leading lady - so, unless your favorite actress is a character actress... But for me this film is one of those rarities. Kate and Lucy. KATE AND LUCY. Oh my gosh. <3 And then of course you have the others like Ginger Rogers and Ann Miller (who I can't believe was only 13!) - but back to Kate and Lucy. Oh, how I would love to go on and on and about some of the backstage stories about the two of them but I properly ought to return to the movie. ;) It's a wonderful film and one of my favorites that I don't talk about all that much. It's fun to see actors, playing, well actors - or better yet, well established actresses playing hopefuls trying to break into the business. "The calla lillies are in bloom again!" And it's funny, because in the Italian movie episode of I Love Lucy - the one in where she famously stomps grapes - she dramatically declares the same line that was such a big deal to Kate Hepburn in this movie.

6. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)

I think a movie like this would be a big deal in 1967. Though Sidney Poitier was already helping break the barrier of miscegenation, this film prominently displayed a happy interracial couple, not to mention that Poitier's character was a very successful doctor. That being said I think it's really commendable for both Kate and Spence to take on a project like this in such a tumultuous time as the 1960's. This was their final film together and Kate never watched it, she never could - because Spence died before the film was even released. I believe she had to take some kind of a salary cut to convince the producers to cast him in this, as they weren't even sure he would make it through the filming. But if there was one way to cap off their string of eight films (this being the ninth), this was definitely it. And aside from the plot and what it dared to do, since this is the last Hepburn/Tracy film it's certainly sentimental for the viewer. Watch Kate's eyes during Spencer Tracy's big speech about equality at the end of the film. I think it was more than an acting - I think she knew the end of this great partnership was about to come to a close. 

5. The African Queen (1951)

Kate and Bogie were really good friends in real life. In Bogie's last weeks as he began to succumb to his cancer, Kate and Spence would visit nearly every night, which I think is terribly sweet. It's wonderful to know that these two legendary actors (if you go by the AFI's list of 100 stars, Kate's #1 for women and Bogie for men) were good friends in real life. Though it's a bit peculiar seeing them as lovers in this, their friendship really shines through in a film like this. The characters are a lot of fun to watch, and seeing this is the film that finally got Bogie that long deserved Oscar, it's quite easy to like this movie. Plus, there's a great treasure of memories that are behind the filming of this movie, which Kate wrote about in her book, How I Went to Africa with Bogart, Bacall, and Huston and Almost Lost my Mind. I haven't read it - not yet - but I'm sure it must be a fun read. I like that they were all friends, Kate and Bogie and Bacall and Huston.

4. Woman of the Year (1942)

It's really hard for me to pick a favorite Hepburn/Tracy pairing, but if you boiled down to it, it's either this or Adam's Rib (1949). I love the characters that Kate and Spence play in this. Tess Harding is a symbol of femininity in an era where woman were expected to stay at home and do the cleaning and the cooking. People take her seriously, and she is important, whereas the character Spence plays is simply a sports reporter. Despite the fact that he's a man, Kate's character is of more importance. But to counter this, or make it more equal, Spence's character is oftentimes a lot easier to like. Another thing that balances out this movie really well is the ending, which, instead of asking Tess Harding to become the average housewife like you may expect it to, offers a compromise that the viewer can be satisfied with. This was the first Hepburn/Tracy pairing, the film that they fell in love on the set of, and I think you can really see that on film. I think out of all the couples they played, Tess Harding and Sam Craig are the most romantic, perhaps because it's their attraction to one another that becomes the glue in keeping the two of them together.

3. Adam's Rib (1949)

As I said in the last one, it's hard to pick a favorite Hepburn/Tracy but this film and Woman of the Year (1942) are the strongest contenders. Once more Kate is playing a very successful woman, though this time Spence is right on her par. They are husband and wife lawyers, Amanda and Adam Bonner. This film is one I can watch over and over again because it's so riveting each time around. Though Amanda Bonner definitely twists the jury in her favor in such a way that might not realistically work, she easily has you taking her side. She's persuasive, to say the least. :) Also this has Judy Holiday playing the woman in the hot seat and I just love her in it each time I watch this movie. 

2. The Philadelphia Story (1940)

This film was the turning point in Kate's career. Before this, you know, she was actually box office poison, or at least, that's what the critics said. Which is pretty awful because she made some of the best films of her career before 1940 and won that Oscar for Morning Glory (1937). But anyway, if there was a film to turn around her career this was definitely a good one to do it. Tracy Lord is simply fabulous, perhaps a little crazy to have divorced C. Dexter Haven (or AKA, Cary Grant), but I love her anyway. Needless to say Kate is perfect as her. AND THEN THERE IS CARY GRANT AND JIMMY STEWART. So back in #7, I said how it's hard to find your favorite actresses together in a film and the same goes for actors, but this movie does just that. My number one favorite actor and my number two favorite actor together, it's enough to make a girl weep, it really is. :) Did you hear the story? Which story? The Philadelphia Story. Oh, and Cary pushes Kate down. I love this movie. 

1. Bringing up Baby (1938)

I said this list was in no particular order... but I really mean it when I list this movie as number one. It's one of my all time favorite movies, ever. :) To begin with, I'm sentimentally attached to it because it's, as I mentioned before, one of the first classics I ever watched. I loved it so much I watched it over and over, I had it rented out for a month I think, I was so in love with this movie. I find Kate Hepburn positively adorable in this and I think I might want to be Susan Vance when I grow up. :') And then well, Kate and Cary Grant, I mean I don't really need to go there because if you've seen anything, just anything with the two of them, you know how wonderful they are. And then there's the leopard, Baby - I'm actually tearing up a little bit, I JUST LOVE THIS MOVIE SO MUCH! It's definitely my number one screwball comedy! Oh my gosh, so many wonderful lines, too! Like, "Susan, he's eating your car!" And so many favorite scenes! Like when Kate tricks Cary into coming over by pretending to be "attacked" by her leopard, or even the part when she's trying to catch olives in her mouth. Gahhh, this film is so perfect. :3 I can't believe it wasn't well liked in 1938. I'll leave you with I can't give you anything but love, baby.... Oh my goodness I could go on about this movie for FOREVER, for forever I tell you!

***

So, there you have it, my ten favorite Katharine Hepburn movies. Which of her movies are your favorites???

Again, thank you to all who may have voted me into the CMBA! I can't believe it'd slipped me earlier because I appreciate it so much. I guess my brain was just boggled with all the crazy homework I've had lately, forgive me! :) 

Oh by the way! So every year at school we do this big fundraiser where we put on cultural performances, except this year my class is doing America in the 1940's instead of a country - I know, I was absolutely thrilled! Therefore, we're learning the jitterbug - and it's SO much fun! I pretty much have two left feet but even I'm doing pretty good with this dance, which to me is just further proof that I was totally born in the wrong era. I keep wishing on 11:11 and blowing away eyelashes, but no matter what I do I'm still firmly stuck in 2012. ;) 

P.S: I'm really pleased with the way the Oscar nominations turned out, are you? I noticed a lot of people didn't like it, but then again, I really do not keep up with new movies, I was just pleased so many of the nominations were performances or movies that took place in the 20th century.